DUSHANBE, March 20, 2012, Asia-Plus – The presidents of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) member nations – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian and Tajikistan – as well as the leaders of observer countries – Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine attended a meeting of the EAEC Interstate Council that took place in Moscow on March 19.

According to the Tajik presidential press service, a draft agreement on modernization of the EAEC and establishment of a new organization on the basis of it was a major topic of the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon reportedly supported the process of joining economic opportunities of the post-Soviet republics and offered to enlist the services of experts for implementation of these plans, the source said.

Tajik leader reportedly stressed that it was necessary to preserve the useful potential of the EAEC while modernizing the organization          

Meanwhile Russian media sources report Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the countries that have observer status in the EAEC would benefit from joining the Customs Union.

“We have said that we are forming the Customs Union and spoke about the advantages (of membership), and of certain disadvantages that may emerge and are already emerging for states that are not members of the Customs Union,” Medvedev said.

He also noted that the EAEC member nations had agreed to establish “the new Eurasian Union” by 2015.

Medvedev made the statement after meeting with the presidents of the other EAEC member nations as well as the leaders of the observer countries.

Medvedev said that the sides agreed that the further integration between the EEC member-states should go with the aim to establish the Eurasian Union by 2015.

The next EAEC summit will take place in May.